Canning apparatus



Sept. 3, 1957 1.. R. PECKHAM CANNING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 4, 1955 5 mm .w Na W5 N w a 04 p Y R W d 9 w 0 I A W Sept. 3, 1957 L. R. PEcKHAM CANNING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 4, 1955 INVENTOR. ck h a m yd R. Pe

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Sept. 3, 1957 R. PECKHAM CANNING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. L/ogc/ R. Peck/7am After-me Filed Nov. 4, 1955 United States Patent CANNING APPARATUS Lloyd R. Peckham, Gaston, Oreg.

Application November 4, 1955, Serial No. 544,982

2 Claims. (Cl. 141-253) The present invention relates to a canning apparatus for vegetables.

An object of the present invention is to provide a canning apparatus for vegetables which has fluid pressure means for forcing the prepared vegetables from a charging space into a container.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a canning apparatus for vegetables which has means for supporting vegetables such as snap beans within a charging space in a position so that the ends of the beans which protrude from the charging space may be trimmed at one time.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a canning apparatus for vegetables which is simple in construction, one of sturdy construction economical to manufacture and assemble, and one which is rapid and highly effective in action.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be fully apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the annexed drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the canning apparatus of the present invention,

Figure 2 is an elevationl view of the assembly of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a view taken on the line 33 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4--4 of Figure 3,

Figure 5 is an elevational view of the assembly of Figure 1,

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 66 of Figure 3, and

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 77 of Figure 3.

Referring in greater detail to the drawings in which like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views the canning apparatus of the present invention comprises a supporting structure designated generally by the reference numeral 10 and including base plates 11 and 12 disposed horizontally and connected to the lower ends of the pair of legs 13 and 14 and the lower ends of the pair of legs 15 and 16, respectively. The supporting structure 10 includes a vertically-disposed plate 17 arranged in parallel spaced relation with respect to the legs 13 and 14. A semicylindrical support member 18 having a vertically-disposed end plate 19 is fixedly secured to the upper ends of the pair of legs 13 and 14 and to the pair of legs 15 and 16, each pair of legs being spaced inwardly from the ends of the support member 18.

A horizontally-disposed tube 21 having one end 22 open is fixedly carried by the supporting structure 10 by means of the support member 18. A follower embodying a tubular member 23 having a closed end 24 and an open end 25 is positioned within the tube 21 so that its closed end 24 is normally inwardly of and spaced from the open end 22 of the tube 21. The tubular member 23 is mounted in the tube 21 for movement from the normal position to a position in which its closed end 24 is flush with the open end 22 of the tube 21. The portion of the tube 21 from the open end 22 of the tube 21 to and with the closed end 24 of the tubular member 23 forms a charging chamber for vegetables to be canned. The charging chamber thus formed is designated by the reference numeral 26 in Figure 3 and has a charging opening in the upper porton of its wall. An openable and closeable door 27 normally closes the opening in the wall of the chamber 26. Hinges 33 connect the door 27 to the tube 21.

A carriage 28 is positioned in confronting end to end spaced relation with respect to the open end 22 of the tube 21 and is mounted upon the supportng structure 10 for movement from the spaced position to a position in which the confronting end abuts the chamber open end. The carriage 28 is adapted to support a container 29 shown in dotted lines in Figure 3, the container 29 having an open end and being supported upon the carriage 28 so that its open end faces the chamber open end.

Fluid pressure means is operatively connected to the follower which consists in the tubular member 23 for effecting the movement of the tubular member 23 from its normal position spaced from the open end of the tube 21 to the position in which it is flush with the open end of the tube 21. Specifically, such fluid pressure means comprises a horizontally-disposed cylinder 31 having a closed end 32 and an open end 33 and is positioned inwardly of the open end of the tubular member 23 so that its open end 33 faces the tubular member closed end 24.

The cylinder 31 has its closed end 32 supported upon the end plate 19 of the support member 18.

A piston 34 is slidably mounted within the cylinder 31 and is operatively connected to the tubular member 23 by means of a tubular piston rod 35. One end of the piston rod 35 is secured to the piston 34 and the other end is secured to a horizontally-disposed round bar 36 which extends transversely of the tubular member 23 intermediate the ends of the latter and has its ends anchored in the walls of the tubular member 23, as seen in Figure 4. A resilient cup 37 is fixed to the head of the piston 34 and serves as a seal and upon admission of air or other fluid to the cylinder closed end 32, the piston 34 moves toward the open end of the cylinder 31 and effects the movement of the tubular member 23 from the normal position spaced from the chamber open end to the position in which its closed end 24 is flush with the chamber open end.

Spring means consisting in a coil spring 38 having one end fixed to the bar 36 and the other end fixed to the end plate 19 operatively connects the tubular member 23 to the supporting structure 10 and biases the tubular member 23 to the position in which it is spaced from the open end of the chamber.

Another horizontally-disposed cylinder 39 having a closed end 41 and an open end 42 is positioned adjacent to and below the carriage 28 so that its open end 42 faces the chamber open end. The closed end 41 of the cylinder 39 is fixedly secured to the plate 17 intermediate the upper and lower ends of the latter. I

Another piston 43 is slidably mounted within the cylinder 39 and is operatively connected to the carriage 28 by means of a piston rod 44 for effecting the movement of the carriage 28 in response to pressure fluid admitted to the closed end 41 of the cylinder 39. The piston rod 44 has one end secured to an intermediate portion of a horizontally-disposed round bar 45 which is arranged transversely of the carriage 28 and has its ends fixed to a pair of sleeves 46 and 47. The sleeves 46 and 47 each slide upon a horizontally-disposed hollow tubular element 48 and 49, respectively, the tubular elements 48 and 49 ex- 3. tending longitudinally of and below the tube 21 with one end of each projecting beyond the open end of the chamber formed in the end of the tube 21. The tubular element 48 isfixedly secured to the legs 13 and 15 of the supporting structure 10 and the tubular element 49 is fixedly secured to the legs 14 and 16 of the supporting structure 10. A pair of plates 51 and 52 arranged in an upright direction are positioned between the carriage 28 and the sleeves 46 and i7, respectively, and have their lower ends fixed to the sleeves 46 and 47, respectively. The upper ends of the plates 51 and 52 are fixedly at-' tached to the underside of the carriage 28 for support of the latter. A resilient cup 53 secured to the head of the piston 43 forms a seal for the air or fluid admitted to the closed end 41 of the cylinder 39. An upright plate 54 is secured by means of webs 55 to the end of the carriage 28 remote from the open end of the chamber 26.

Another spring means is operatively connected to the carriage 28 for biasing the latter to its position spaced from the open end of the chamber 26 and consists in a coil spring 56 having one end secured to the bracket projecting below and attached to the one end of the carriage 28 remote from the plate 54 and has its other end fixedly attached to the plate 17 of the supporting structure 10.

The upper portion of the tube 21 is provided with a slot 57 extending inwardly of its end remote from the open end 22 and an upwardly-projecting lug 58 secured to the tubular member 23 adjacent its end 25 extends through the slot 57 and is engageable with a resilient bumper element 59 which forms a stop for the movement of the tubular element 23 from its position spaced from the open end of the chamber 26 to its position in which its closed end 24 is flush with the open end of the chamber 26.

Means is provided for admitting fluid under pressure to the cylinder 31 and to the cylinder 39. Specifically, such means consists in a valve body 61 having oneend adapted for connection in communication with a source of fluid under pressure. The valve body 61 is T-shaped and has one outlet directly connected to the closed end of the cylinder 31 and has its other outlet connected by means of a conduit 62 to the hollow tubular element 49 at the end of the latter adjacent to the open end 25 of the tubular member 23. The other end of the tubular element 49 is connected by means of another conduit 63 and couplings 64 to a threaded nipple 65 which projects through the plate 17 and is connected in communication with the cylinder 39.

In operation, a container 29 is positioned upon the carriage 28 so that its open end is facing the open end of the chamber 26 and the handle 66 of the valve body 61 is turned so that air or other fluid under pressure is admitted to the valve body 61 and through the con duit 62 and the tubular element 4-9 to the conduit 63 and the nipple 65 and thence into the closed end of the cylinder 39 behind the piston 43. This results in the movement of the piston 53 to effect the movement of the carriage 28 to a position in which the open end of the container 29 abuts the chamber open end. The handle 66 of the valve body 61 is then turned further to admit air to the closed end of the cylinder 31 to effect the movement of the piston 34 therein and to shift the tubular member 23 which forms the follower within the tube 21 to the position in which the closed end 24 of the tubular member 23 is flush with the open end of the chamber 26, pushing the beans into the container 29. Prior to actuation of the handle 66 of the valve body 61, the door 27 is closed tightly upon the charge of beans or other vegetables within the charging space and if any of the ends of the beans project from the open end of the chamber 26 they may be all cut at the same time before the carriage 28 is moved to its position in which it abuts the end of the chamber 26. When the beans or other vegetables have been packed into the container 29 the handle 66 of the valve body 61 is shifted to exhaust the air from each of the cylinders 31 and 39 through the exhaust port 67 in the valve body 61 and the springs 38 and 56 return the tubular member 23 and the carriage 28, respectively, to their positions spaced from the open end of the chamber 26. The container 29 is then removed from the carriage 28 and any projecting ends of the beans are cut and the container 29 with the supply of beans therein is moved to another position for capping of the container 29 and a subsequent sterilizing operation.

What is claimed is:

l, A canning apparatus comprising a supporting structure, a horizontally-disposed tube having one end open fixedly carried by said structure, a follower embodying a tubular member having a closed end and an open end positioned within said tube so that its closed end is normally inwardly of and spaced from the open end of said tube and mounted in said tube for movement from the normal position to a position in which its closed end is flush with said tube open end, the portion of said tube from the open end thereof to and with the closed end of said tubular member forming a charging chamber for vegetables to be canned, the wall of said chamber having a charging opening in its upper portion, an openable and closable door normally closing said opening, a carriage positioned in confronting end to end spaced relation with respect to the open end of said chamber and mounted upon said supporting structure for movement from the spaced position to a position in which the confronting end abuts said chamber open end, said carriage being adapted to support a container having an open end so that the container open end faces said chamber open end, a horizontally-disposed cylinder having a closed end and an open end positioned within and inwardly of the open end of said tubular member so that its open end faces the closed end of said tubular member and having its closed end fixedly secured to said supporting structure, a piston slidably mounted Within said cylinder and operatively connected to said tubular member intermediate the ends of the latter for effecting the movement of the latter in response to pressure of fluid admitted to the closed end of said cylinder, means for admitting fluid under pres sure to the closed end of said cylinder, and fluid pressure means operatively connected to said carriage for effecting the movements of the latter.

2. A canning apparatus comprising a supporting structure, a horizontally-disposed tube having one end open fixedly carried by said structure, a follower embodying a tubular member having a closed end and an open end positioned within said tube so that its closed end is normally inwardly of and spaced from the open end of said tube and mounted in said tube for movement from the normal position to a position in which its closed end is flush with said tube open end, the portion of said tube from the open end thereof to and with the closed end of said tubular member forming a charging chamber for vegetables to be canned, the wall of said chamber having a charging opening in its upper portion, an openable and closable door normally closing said opening, a carriage positioned in confronting end to end spaced relation with respect to the open end of said chamber and mounted upon said supporting structure for movement from the spaced position to a position in which the confronting end abuts said chamber open end, said carriage being adapted to support a container having an open end so that the container open end faces said chamber open end, a horizontally-disposed cylinder having a closed end and an open positioned within and inwardly of the open end of said tubular member so that its open end faces the closed end of said tubular member and having its closed end fixedly secured to said supporting struc ture, a piston slidably mounted within said cylinder and operatively connected to said tubular member intermediate the ends of the latter for effecting the. movement Oi th latter n re ponse to pressure of fluid admitted to the closed end of said cylinder, means for admitting fluid under pressure to the closed end of said cylinder, another horizontally-disposed cylinder having a closed end and an open end positioned adjacent to and below said carriage so that its open end faces said chamber open end and 5 having its closed end fixedly secured to said supporting structure, another piston slidably mounted Within said another cylinder and operatively connected to said carriage for effecting the movement of the latter in response to pressure of fluid admitted to the closed end of 10 said another cylinder, and means for admitting fluid under pressure to said another cylinder closed end.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

